Loan move for PNE midfielder

Craig Salmon

Preston North End midfielder Josh Brownhill has joined League One outfit Barnsley on a month's youth loan.

The 20-year-old will go straight into the Tykes squad for their league clash at Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

Brownhill will return to Deepdale on Sunday, February 14 - his last match for the Yorkshiremen is scheduled to be away at Gillingham the day before.

Having made his debut as a 17-year-old during the 2013/14 season, Brownhill has seen his first-team opportunities limited this season.

Midfield is an area in which manager Simon Grayson is blessed with strength in depth.

Brownhill has been vying with players such as Daniel Johnson, Paul Gallagher, Alan Browne and John Welsh for a first-team slot this season.

And that area of the pitch was bolstered even further this week with the acquisition of 21-year-old Ben Pearson - who ironically spent a period on loan at Barnsley this season - for £300,000 from Manchester United.

He made his PNE debut in the 2-1 win at Bristol City on Tuesday and he is set be joined at Deepdale by fellow young United midfielder Liam Grimshaw, whose signing is expected to be announced today.

It is thought Brownhill is still highly though of by Grayson and it is believed new contract talks are under way to extend his stay at the club.

In total he has made 64 appearances for North End of which six have come this season.